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My Son Is an Alien: A Cultural Portrait of Today's Youth
Today's youths live in a world that sees their rebellious behavior and esoteric lifestyles as a 'natural' part of growing up. But this is hardly natural. In effect, adolescence was forged as a social experiment 150 years ago, when school attendance became mandatory beyond puberty. As a result, adolescence came to be marked not only as a separate and troubled period in the lifecycle, but also as an all-encompassing social problem, requiring the intervention of social institutions. My Son Is an Alien is an entertaining, informative look at cultural influences on teenagers and adolescents. Based on interviews with hundreds of teens, pre-teens, and parents, each chapter sketches out a facet of the adolescent's cultural portrait, from body image and slang to peer pressure and drugs. Non-technical and filled with facts, commentaries, anecdotes, and resources, it also includes numerous features on topics like teen expressions and the least family-friendly TV shows. Marcel Danesi proposes several strategies for changing the prevailing mindset on adolescence. Among these are dispelling the myth that 'experts' and 'professionals' are the ones to whom we must turn for advice in raising children and that adolescents must be seen as mature individuals who should be reconnected to the adult society to which they rightfully belong.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2003
About the author
Marcel Danesi
280 books33 followersMarcel Danesi (b. Marcello Danesi, 1946) is a current Professor of Semiotics and Linguistic Anthropology at the University of Toronto. He is known for his work in language, communications, and semiotics; being Director of the Program in Semiotics and Communication Theory.
He has also held positions at Rutgers University (1972), The University of Rome "La Sapienza" (1988), the Catholic University of Milan (1990), and the University of Lugano.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of Semiotica: Journal of the International Association for Semiotic Studies and is a past-president of the Semiotic Society of America.
He has also held positions at Rutgers University (1972), The University of Rome "La Sapienza" (1988), the Catholic University of Milan (1990), and the University of Lugano.
He is the Editor-in-Chief of Semiotica: Journal of the International Association for Semiotic Studies and is a past-president of the Semiotic Society of America.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 3, 2014
I read a book the other day called 'My son is an alien' which I recommend to everyone. It discusses alot of the thoughts I point out below, though with alot more expertise then I.
About 150year ago we had an industrial revolution. Suddenly children/younger adults who had previously worked in the field alongside their parents now found themselves working alongside them in factories. Very quickly older adults realised the younger people could not keep up. Consequently school was introduced.
Slowly the compulsory age of school began to rise, 14yo 15yo...in Queensland it is currently 17yo.
Puberty completes in most people around the 14/15/16yo age group. At this time the childhas finished becoming an adult. So now we are keeping fully developed adults in school, without a license, without the ability to marry, and without the ability to make any choices for themselves.
It is no wonder we see rebellious behaviour from them, it is classic reaction to oppression, they are trying to escape, they resent the bondage.
In Australia they are talking about raising the driving age. Pyschologists are also trying to say that adolescence doesn't end until the mid-30's. What happens when society decides that you are not an adult until you finish university/college/apprenticeship/traineeship? What happens when you are not allowed to drive until you are 25? Or get married until you are 30? What happens when you are still considered a child at age 25???
My husband scoffed when I asked this question, then later on he told me how he recalled his grandmother telling them she didn't see the point of school. She was in the workforce at age 12, why couldn't they do the same?
It raises alot of questions, but think about it. Once a child has hit puberty they are an adult in every single sense of the word. Why do we not treat them like one?????
The myth of adolescence (Crouching tiger, hidden dragon?)
A promised, my essay. I will do some touch up over the next couple of days.
*****************************************************************
Crouching tiger, hidden dragon?
According to Martin Herbert, Adolescence is not a universal term. He argues that it had to be ?invented? (among other reasons) because of our postponement of that pointing the life-span at which the child assumes adult status and responsibility.(**) Adolescence begins with puberty, and ends when the child is culturally accepted as an adult. During this period the adolescent, really a young adult, is often at conflict with parents who still wish to maintain absolute parental control. The imposed period that we call adolescence must be treated as a time to be apprenticed into the adult world. Allowing the young adults to begin accepting responsibilities, make their own decisions. Parents during this period need to begin to rethink the rules that they set, and the judgements that they make. Allowing the young adult to experience mistakes, experience increased autonomy. Young adults faced with growing desire for autonomy, a desire to make their own decisions, , must be allowed to gradually spread their wings. Forcing young adults to abide by the same rules that they did prior to reaching puberty is asking for conflict. Not allowing young adults to make decisions for themselves until they leave the family home is to accept an unnecessary ?sink or swim? attitude. Young adults must be apprenticed in the art of making adult decisions, and accepting responsibilities from the time that they reach puberty.
According to Hall, adolescence is a period filled with ?storm and stress?(**), he believed that all development is controlled by genetically determined physiological factors, that is to say he believed that adolescence was a universal phenomenon, a result of biological conditions, there is nothing that can be done to prevent rebellion of the youth. This view is reflected in our society, as we try to keep the adolescent, aged 13 to 23, under tight regulations. Almost implying that if we tighten our hold on tem, they will do less damage during this period, we keep them in school, do not let them drive, do not let them drink, and do not let them have a say in the political direction of the country. Preferably keep them living at home, where parents rather then community, can deal with the social problems that are expected as the young adult journeys through this period.
However this viewpoint is not agreed on by all. Other researchers believe adolescence to be of sociohistorical creation, that is, that adolescence was created by society. (**)Marcel Danesi argues that prior to the industrial revolution young adults where apprenticed to their parents, working alongside them in the fields, learning everything required to go out on their own when they were ready. In these days young adults were commonly married and raising families of their own, before they turned 20 years of age. He argues that the industrial revolution meant that young adults and pre-pubescent youth could no longer work alongside their parents. Factory owners required skilled labourers, so schools became compulsory. Youth laws now prevented young adults from becoming employed until they were 14 years old. Slowly these youth laws have been developed, the adult power structure has placed youth in a submissive position, restricting their options, and encouraging their dependency.(**)
Why are these views ignored by society? Why does society believe the answer to the issues surrounding young adults is to place greater restrictions on them? Radio talkback shows discuss the possibility of raising the driving age, and lowering the alcohol limit of young adults. Students are now required to stay in the education system until they are 17. Departments are discussing raising the age of the end of adolescence to 35. Apprenticeships and traineeships, rather then being sourced out by a young adult taking important steps toward autonomy, are now incorporated into the education system, delaying the young adults move into the adult world, ensuring that more experienced adults handle these important steps. Young adults, it seems, are no longer capable of finding their own employment.
Puberty marks a time of rapid growth, the child becomes an adult. The increased rate of change during this period is much like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. However, society as a whole, rather then finding this transformation beautiful, is increasingly dreading this period. This period where young adults need individual nurturing, tailored to their needs, has now been heavily regulated such that the young is judged by the date of his birth, rather then the changes in his body. It is no wonder this period is marked by such stressful and rebellious behaviour. Rather then allowing the caterpillar to transform at its own pace, the transformation has become heavily scripted, and if society had its way, every butterfly would come out wearing shirts buttoned to the neck, perfectly creased pants, hair parted in the middle.
That there is (and is bound to be) a stage of transition from ?irresponsibility? to ?responsibility? has been accepted from at least the time of Aristotle.
So, unfortunately parents and children (or young adults) may disagree about what stage has been reached and, consequently, what rights, privileges and responsibilities are now appropriate. Confusion reigns and where there is confusion, confrontation is likely to follow.(**)
Today we expect signposts that mark the entry into this period, and bemoan the ?rebellious youth?. Rather then working with our youth, we place them in regulated incubation boxes, often known as schools, in the hope that we will all emerge from this period as unscathed as possible.
Perhaps rather then increasing regulations during this period, society might do better to decrease them. Allow young adults more opportunities to make their own decisions, and accept responsibilities for their own actions. Teach them to take responsibility. Respect them as a valued member of the household, and of society. Respect them as you would any other adult, a young adult fresh to the world of adulthood, but an adult all the same. Surely a 15yo, who had he lived 150 years ago would be contemplating marriage, children, and working in the fields, should be allowed the freedom to choose his own clothes free from parental admonishment.
About 150year ago we had an industrial revolution. Suddenly children/younger adults who had previously worked in the field alongside their parents now found themselves working alongside them in factories. Very quickly older adults realised the younger people could not keep up. Consequently school was introduced.
Slowly the compulsory age of school began to rise, 14yo 15yo...in Queensland it is currently 17yo.
Puberty completes in most people around the 14/15/16yo age group. At this time the childhas finished becoming an adult. So now we are keeping fully developed adults in school, without a license, without the ability to marry, and without the ability to make any choices for themselves.
It is no wonder we see rebellious behaviour from them, it is classic reaction to oppression, they are trying to escape, they resent the bondage.
In Australia they are talking about raising the driving age. Pyschologists are also trying to say that adolescence doesn't end until the mid-30's. What happens when society decides that you are not an adult until you finish university/college/apprenticeship/traineeship? What happens when you are not allowed to drive until you are 25? Or get married until you are 30? What happens when you are still considered a child at age 25???
My husband scoffed when I asked this question, then later on he told me how he recalled his grandmother telling them she didn't see the point of school. She was in the workforce at age 12, why couldn't they do the same?
It raises alot of questions, but think about it. Once a child has hit puberty they are an adult in every single sense of the word. Why do we not treat them like one?????
The myth of adolescence (Crouching tiger, hidden dragon?)
A promised, my essay. I will do some touch up over the next couple of days.
*****************************************************************
Crouching tiger, hidden dragon?
According to Martin Herbert, Adolescence is not a universal term. He argues that it had to be ?invented? (among other reasons) because of our postponement of that pointing the life-span at which the child assumes adult status and responsibility.(**) Adolescence begins with puberty, and ends when the child is culturally accepted as an adult. During this period the adolescent, really a young adult, is often at conflict with parents who still wish to maintain absolute parental control. The imposed period that we call adolescence must be treated as a time to be apprenticed into the adult world. Allowing the young adults to begin accepting responsibilities, make their own decisions. Parents during this period need to begin to rethink the rules that they set, and the judgements that they make. Allowing the young adult to experience mistakes, experience increased autonomy. Young adults faced with growing desire for autonomy, a desire to make their own decisions, , must be allowed to gradually spread their wings. Forcing young adults to abide by the same rules that they did prior to reaching puberty is asking for conflict. Not allowing young adults to make decisions for themselves until they leave the family home is to accept an unnecessary ?sink or swim? attitude. Young adults must be apprenticed in the art of making adult decisions, and accepting responsibilities from the time that they reach puberty.
According to Hall, adolescence is a period filled with ?storm and stress?(**), he believed that all development is controlled by genetically determined physiological factors, that is to say he believed that adolescence was a universal phenomenon, a result of biological conditions, there is nothing that can be done to prevent rebellion of the youth. This view is reflected in our society, as we try to keep the adolescent, aged 13 to 23, under tight regulations. Almost implying that if we tighten our hold on tem, they will do less damage during this period, we keep them in school, do not let them drive, do not let them drink, and do not let them have a say in the political direction of the country. Preferably keep them living at home, where parents rather then community, can deal with the social problems that are expected as the young adult journeys through this period.
However this viewpoint is not agreed on by all. Other researchers believe adolescence to be of sociohistorical creation, that is, that adolescence was created by society. (**)Marcel Danesi argues that prior to the industrial revolution young adults where apprenticed to their parents, working alongside them in the fields, learning everything required to go out on their own when they were ready. In these days young adults were commonly married and raising families of their own, before they turned 20 years of age. He argues that the industrial revolution meant that young adults and pre-pubescent youth could no longer work alongside their parents. Factory owners required skilled labourers, so schools became compulsory. Youth laws now prevented young adults from becoming employed until they were 14 years old. Slowly these youth laws have been developed, the adult power structure has placed youth in a submissive position, restricting their options, and encouraging their dependency.(**)
Why are these views ignored by society? Why does society believe the answer to the issues surrounding young adults is to place greater restrictions on them? Radio talkback shows discuss the possibility of raising the driving age, and lowering the alcohol limit of young adults. Students are now required to stay in the education system until they are 17. Departments are discussing raising the age of the end of adolescence to 35. Apprenticeships and traineeships, rather then being sourced out by a young adult taking important steps toward autonomy, are now incorporated into the education system, delaying the young adults move into the adult world, ensuring that more experienced adults handle these important steps. Young adults, it seems, are no longer capable of finding their own employment.
Puberty marks a time of rapid growth, the child becomes an adult. The increased rate of change during this period is much like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly. However, society as a whole, rather then finding this transformation beautiful, is increasingly dreading this period. This period where young adults need individual nurturing, tailored to their needs, has now been heavily regulated such that the young is judged by the date of his birth, rather then the changes in his body. It is no wonder this period is marked by such stressful and rebellious behaviour. Rather then allowing the caterpillar to transform at its own pace, the transformation has become heavily scripted, and if society had its way, every butterfly would come out wearing shirts buttoned to the neck, perfectly creased pants, hair parted in the middle.
That there is (and is bound to be) a stage of transition from ?irresponsibility? to ?responsibility? has been accepted from at least the time of Aristotle.
So, unfortunately parents and children (or young adults) may disagree about what stage has been reached and, consequently, what rights, privileges and responsibilities are now appropriate. Confusion reigns and where there is confusion, confrontation is likely to follow.(**)
Today we expect signposts that mark the entry into this period, and bemoan the ?rebellious youth?. Rather then working with our youth, we place them in regulated incubation boxes, often known as schools, in the hope that we will all emerge from this period as unscathed as possible.
Perhaps rather then increasing regulations during this period, society might do better to decrease them. Allow young adults more opportunities to make their own decisions, and accept responsibilities for their own actions. Teach them to take responsibility. Respect them as a valued member of the household, and of society. Respect them as you would any other adult, a young adult fresh to the world of adulthood, but an adult all the same. Surely a 15yo, who had he lived 150 years ago would be contemplating marriage, children, and working in the fields, should be allowed the freedom to choose his own clothes free from parental admonishment.
December 8, 2008
I had to read this for a youth studies class in college. The author overused some phrases and at times the wording was cloudy. Everything was presented in an observer's tone. As far as content, he stays fairly neutral, even though the book is intended to be a bit of a guide for parents. As a 19 year old, I was engaged throughout.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews